Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 481 Entrustment
The emperor summoned him to the inner court.

After the news spread, the case of Liang Fang and Peng Hua...became the focus of controversy among people in the court.

When Zhang Yanling returned home that day, he saw his old father lying there sighing. He just glanced at the door and did not go in to greet him. Then he went back to his own yard.

Zhang Heling poked his head out from the next room and said, "I don't know what's going on."

"Why?"

Zhang Yanling asked, "Everything was fine outside, but you insisted on coming back early... What, did you get angry with your father?"

"Hey, it's you who's smart, second brother. But that old stubborn man, for some reason, started to curse at me as soon as he saw me today. Maybe he got angry and got mad at me?"

Zhang Heling shook his head and sighed, as if he felt that his old father was beyond help.

After dinner, Zhang Luan came out with a cane.

Jin asked, "Aren't you told to rest well? Why do you want to go to the fields?"

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "Is it fun to lie there every day? I only hurt my leg, and I'm fine. But I've been lying there for a long time, and I'm about to get sick even though I'm not sick... Oh, my mind is in a mess now, and I have a headache... Bring me a chair and put a cushion on it."

"Ugh!"

Jin sighed, but still asked someone to bring a chair to Zhang Luan.

The maidservant was busy for a long time and helped Zhang Luan to sit down. Zhang Luan looked like a bullied man. He sat down but did not eat. He just tilted his head and stared at the beam with lifeless eyes, sulking there.

Jin personally served him a bowl of rice and said, "Master, didn't you like being served before? Now that there are so many people at home who can serve you, you are unhappy?"

"Just them?"

Zhang Luan pointed at the maid who was carrying things nearby and said with a flick of his sleeves, "The ones in other people's homes are just pleasing to the eye, but ours is like a female demon, you can't even look at it."

Jin said, "What do you mean by that? Is it okay to say that in front of them?"

"Hahaha……"

Zhang Heling couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"why are you laughing?"

Zhang Luan glared at him and asked.

Zhang Heling laughed so hard that he almost spit out his food, but he still didn't forget to mock: "The woman Dad kept outside is so pretty... The ones at home don't even look at her."

"Get out! When did I ever keep a mistress outside? If you keep talking nonsense, I'll pull out your tongue!" Zhang Luan was furious and shouted loudly.

When Jin heard what her son said, she became angry, but she did not dare to argue with her husband in front of her family.

She sat down and continued to eat.

It was not until the family had finished dinner that Zhang Luan called Zhang Yanling, who was sitting aside drinking tea, and said, "Come here, help your father to the study. I have something to tell you."

Zhang Heling yelled, "I said Dad wouldn't sit here for no reason. It seems he wants to talk to the second son about something. Why doesn't he go to the study earlier? Why does he have to wait here for half a day?"

After saying that, Zhang Heling took the dessert and went to his room.

"Eat, eat, eat. All you do is eat. Why don't you learn from your brother? Look, you've gained weight recently! You'll grow like a pig in the future. Be careful or you won't be able to walk when you go out!"

It seemed that Zhang Luan just wanted to vent his anger at the moment. He went to the study room with his crutches, cursing.

……

……

In the study room.

Zhang Yanling sat aside, cracking pine nuts in his hand, and asked, "Dad, why didn't you tell me earlier if there was something going on? Why are you being so secretive?"

Zhang Luan said, "Sometimes you should learn from your elder brother... the sound of you eating gives me a headache just by listening to it."

"Dad, would you like to try some fresh pine nuts picked in Liaodong this year? If we say that everything in the capital is good, the only thing that needs improvement is the food."

Zhang Yanling shook his head.

Zhang Luan rolled his eyes at him and said, "The Ministry of Justice sent someone to our house today."

"Oh."

Zhang Yanling asked, "Why?"

"They came to talk to me about the case of Liang Fang and Peng Hua, saying that Liang Fang had made contributions to the court and was one of the eight deliberates, while Peng Hua had not made any achievements, so he had to be killed." Zhang Luan said, "At that time, I wanted them to leave a copy of the case file, actually I wanted to show it to you, but they didn't listen to me..." Zhang Yanling blinked and asked in confusion: "What's wrong with Dad today? Are you upset? Is it because you've been pent up in the yard for too long?"

Zhang Luan said depressedly: "The man who came to see me today was just a newly-appointed Jinshi who passed the imperial examination this year. He is currently observing government affairs in the Ministry of Justice, yet he dared to show his disdain in front of me... I endured it again and again at that time, and at least I didn't do anything to him. But this group of people now... are really..."

"hehe."

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Dad, you really care about your reputation... No matter what others say, you have passed the imperial examinations all the way from Juren to Jinshi. How did you get to this position? If you want to win the respect of others, you must have real skills."

Zhang Luan said angrily: "I am already a Hanlin scholar and the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Why can't I get respect from others?"

Zhang Yanling said: "Look at Li Zisheng, he has a very positive attitude. He never seeks respect from those middle and lower-level officials. What he wants is to monopolize power and have the upper-level officials listen to him. That's enough."

Zhang Luan smiled bitterly and said, "You have some skills, kid... So according to you, are you trying to say that those scholars who observe politics have nothing to do with me, and I can't decide their future, so there is no need to curry favor with me... But to become the Prime Minister Wan'an, you have to rely on me?"

"That's fine if you insist on understanding it that way."

Zhang Yanling nodded, and then asked, "Are you unhappy just because of this?"

Zhang Luan frowned, but still sighed quietly, shook his head and said: "In front of you, there is nothing for your father to pretend. In fact, it's just... It's been five or six days, and I haven't left the house during this period. I feel really... Alas!"

Zhang Yanling smiled and asked, "Dad, you feel uncomfortable if you don't go out for a day, right?"

"Ahem, look at the word you used... Although I don't know what you mean by 'lang', I know it must not be a good word."

Zhang Luan was helpless. He did not hide his feelings in front of his son and said bluntly, "The mansion that Li Zisheng gave me in Chongwenmen has quite a few people living there. He is going to send them away. You say... Isn't it a waste of time for me to stay at home to recuperate for a long time?"

Zhang Yanling shrugged, meaning that there was really nothing he could do about this matter.

"Son, I'm really worried. How about you help me take a look?"

Zhang Luan said shamelessly.

Zhang Yanling frowned and asked, "Are you sure?"

Zhang Luan said: "Why is there any uncertainty? I just asked you to take a look, not to do anything. Besides, at your age..."

Zhang Yanling became very angry when he heard this.

It’s okay that this old man in front of me is usually not decent, but why does he look down on others?
"Dad, I am also a man. If you let me into your beautiful house, I can't afford anything if something happens." Zhang Yanling rolled his eyes.

"Just go and inform them for your father," Zhang Luan said. "Also, Peng Hua's wife asked me to plead for her husband. Hasn't that helped?"

"Are you still trying to take credit for it?"

Zhang Yanling continued to frown upon hearing this.

Zhang Luan said: "What you promised to others must be fulfilled. Did I do a good job? Alas, I am too kind-hearted and cannot bear to see others' families destroyed..."

"..."

Zhang Yanling was speechless for a moment.

Shameless!

How thick-skinned does the old father have to be to say such a thing?

"Son, didn't you say you had a plan for Lizi Province? I'll leave it to you to handle!"

Zhang Luan instructed, "You have to hold him back... I know you want to fly his kite, and as a father I can't stop you, but you have to reel in the string. If the string breaks, it's easy to get into trouble."

"Okay, Dad, I know everything you said." Zhang Yanling said, "Since you trust me to go, I will go and take a look. But I'm not sure if the people inside will still be there when you go back..."

"What do you mean?"

Zhang Luan became a little anxious when he heard this.

I thought, does my son want to dismiss all the people in there?
Zhang Yanling said unhappily, "You are now flying Li Zisheng's kite, why would Li Zisheng still try so hard to curry favor with you? Maybe he has other plans. Besides, if Peng Hua doesn't die, won't his family have to go back to their hometown with him? Then how can they stay in that courtyard?"

"This one……"

When Zhang Luan heard this, his face instantly turned sour.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Why, you are reluctant again? Have you never thought about these situations before helping others?"

Zhang Luan was stunned for a long time before he said unhappily, "Well, I am a kind-hearted person. Just go and take a look... and come back to tell me what happened.

"Father believes you now! Your eldest brother is a bad-mouthed person, so don't leak the news to him, otherwise our family will never have peace."

(End of this chapter)